CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

While at Katsucon, I got to see the first episode (dub) of D.Gray-Man.

Normally, I try to give an anime series about 6 episodes to convince me whether it is worth watching all the way through or not.

I found the first episode of D.Gray-Man to be so banal, pull the curtain so far back on the mechanisms of the series, so conceptually unbelievable (even for the fantasy genre), and so anachronistic that I could barely sit through it.

Yet I hear this is supposedly a runaway smash anime -- or maybe just a very good manga that was mangled. So, my questions:

a) Is the anime like the manga? Better? Worse? Can't compare?

b) Is the anime worth watching?

c) What do you think of the manga?

Thanking you in advance...

What's your opinion of series like..oh say...Bleach? D.Gray-Man, for the most part, is going to follow general trappings of shonen action series...albeit with a mildly original setting.
It certainly has its fans, but I don't think I would call it a runaway hit, although it should do well for Funimation.

As far as anime vs. manga comparisons: The manga is more concise in plot, and moves much quicker, but has somewhat messy action scenes. The anime has a rather large number of anime original episodes in the middle portion that feel basically like stalling, but the action is probably easier to follow. For the most part, I found it a decent adaptation, so if you don't like the anime for the reasons you listed(too anachronistic, etc.), I doubt you would care for the manga either. Although, I will throw a word of caution that you shouldn't look for any sort of historical accuracy in this.

I enjoyed it generally, although I think TMS should have waited until they had more material to work with. But to their credit; the filler was, while occasionally boring, never outright terrible.

[SIZE="1"]I have yet to see the anime adaption, but D.Gray-Man is my favorite shounen title. What turned you off?

I love the manga series. Of course, I've always enjoyed the premise of such. [/SIZE]